Apparatus and method for orienting shock-sensitive glass plates in ultra clean rooms

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for orienting thin glass plates ( 11 ) in a contamination-free manner. Said method and apparatus have the following features: a) in order to orient the glass plate ( 11 ), a lifting frame ( 1 ) is raised from below through the free space between the rolls ( 13 ) along with an orienting frame ( 2 ) which rests on the lifting frame ( 1 ) and is fitted with struts ( 7 ) that are connected in a rotatably hinged fashion to the orienting frame ( 2 ) and are provided with supporting elements ( 8 ) which penetrate the free space between the rolls ( 13 ), project beyond the supporting level of the rolls ( 13 ), and support the glass plate ( 11 ); b) the glass plate ( 11 ) is placed in a shock-free manner by means of sliding elements ( 3 ) that are actuated by individually controllable drive units ( 4 ), the movement of the sliding elements ( 3 ) being transmitted to the two longitudinal cross beams of the orienting frame ( 2 ) by means of pivot joints ( 6 ) which are fastened to the sliding elements ( 3 ).

1. An apparatus for the contamination-free orientation of thin, shock-sensitive crystalline plates, in particular glass plates ( 11 ), said apparatus comprising:
 a) rollers ( 13 ) each having a dedicated drive for conveying a glass plate ( 11 ) on an orienting unit, 
 b) an apparatus for orienting the glass plate ( 11 ), wherein a lifting frame ( 1 ) with an orienting frame ( 2 ) lying thereon is raised from below through the free space between the rollers ( 13 ), and the orienting frame ( 2 ) has longitudinally extending cross braces ( 7 ) which are connected thereto in an articulated manner such that they can rotate, have support elements ( 8 ) and pass through the free space between the rollers ( 13 ), protrude beyond the support level of the rollers ( 13 ) and support the glass plate ( 11 ), 
 c) an apparatus for the shock-free positioning of a glass plate ( 11 ) via laterally moving slide elements ( 3 ) operated by individually actuable drives ( 4 ), the lateral movement of the slide elements ( 3 ) being transmitted to the longitudinally extending cross braces ( 7 ) of the orienting frame ( 2 ) via rotary joints ( 6 ) fastened on the slide elements ( 3 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the support elements ( 8 ) are produced from an anti-marking and abrasion-resistant material. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the pivot bearings ( 10 ), the rotary joints ( 6 ) and the joints of the sliding support ( 9 ) are encapsulated in an emission-free manner and are produced from abrasion-resistant material. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the positioning of the glass plate ( 11 ) is monitored using lasers and/or sensors. 
 
     
     
       5. A process for the contamination-free orientation of thin, shock-sensitive crystalline plates, in particular glass plates ( 11 ), in ultra-clean room conditions, said process comprising:
 a) transporting a glass plate ( 11 ) via rollers ( 13 ) each with a dedicated drive through an air lock from a clean room into the ultra-clean room, 
 b) conveying, in the ultra-clean room, the glass plate ( 11 ) via rollers ( 13 ) each with a dedicated drive to an orienting unit, 
 c) orienting the glass plate ( 11 ) by raising a lifting frame ( 1 ) with an orienting frame ( 2 ) lying thereon from below through the free space between the rollers ( 13 ), wherein the orienting frame ( 2 ) has longitudinally extending cross braces ( 7 ) which are connected thereto in an articulated manner such that they can rotate, have support elements ( 8 ) and pass through the free space between the rollers ( 13 ), protrude beyond the support level of the rollers ( 13 ) and support the glass plate ( 11 ), 
 d) positioning the glass plate ( 11 ) in a shock-free manner via laterally moving slide elements ( 3 ) operated by individually actuable drives ( 4 ), the lateral movement of the slide elements ( 3 ) being transmitted to the longitudinally extending cross braces ( 7 ) of the orienting frame ( 2 ) via rotary joints ( 6 ) fastened on the slide elements ( 3 ), and 
 e) lowering, after the positioning operation, the lifting frame ( 1 ) to such an extent that the glass plate ( 11 ) rests on the rollers ( 13 ) again. 
 
     
     
       6. The process as claimed in  claim 5 ,
 wherein the positioning of the glass plate ( 11 ) is monitored using lasers and/or sensors. 
 
     
     
       7. A computer program,
 comprising a program code for carrying out the process steps as claimed in  claim 5 , if the program is executed on a computer, wherein the program code is embodied in a computer program. 
 
     
     
       8. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising a program code of a computer program for carrying out the process as claimed in  claim 5 , if the program is executed on a computer, wherein the program code is embodied in a machine readable storage medium. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lifting frame ( 1 ) is raised
 using a drive ( 5 ) which brings about the deflection of lifting elements via a lever linkage and the shortening of a threaded rod. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein, as part of step c), the lifting frame ( 1 ) is raised using a drive ( 5 ) which brings about the deflection of lifting elements via a lever linkage and the shortening of a threaded rod.